as i slowly find more and more happiness in renunciation and loosely following the 8 precepts, i am beginning to think contraception may be unwholsome. as i think sex for recreation is as buddha said a low act performed by common people. didnt he say that. modern medicine views sex as being healthy, and a great release of stress. this is because no one practices voluntary celibacy in our society. the health benefits of voluntary celibacy are vast. your intelligence your well being your energy, your health. yogis for thousands of years have thought celibacy to be a main staple of there spiritual and physical well being. so ive also noticed the less i look at girls cleavage or whatever the less lust arises. where does lust come from? focusing on beauty. ive stopped looking at womens bodies even when i watch tv i look away, its like i stopped feuling the fire. so i come back to my initial point. why do you think there are so many STD's? is this not the universe telling us something about recreational sex? wouldnt the world be a better place, if we all had sex only for procreation. this would stop aids pretty much. i dont know its incredibly good karma to refrain from sexual activity, the same cant be said for having sex. thoughts? metta, befriend.

to practice patience with others rough speech, perceive there words as only sound, patience is the path to nibbana.

It probably means to not generalize your own difficulty with sexuality what should and should not be. Celibacy is not for everyone and to take the Catholic stance that every act of coition must be open to the possibility of conception is to be insensitive.

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond.SN I, 38.

Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireas na daoine.People live in one another’s shelter.

While you might be celibate (and I applaud your efforts), you will find very few who will be interested in adopting that lifestyle. That is just the reality of the world we live in.

So, in the absence of celibacy and contraception you will have greater disease transmission and more unwanted pregnancies. And we can see what some of these societies look like that have a similar position towards your own regarding sex and contraception. Sub-saharan african, central and south american countries that are dominated by staunch catholicism.

Contraceptive use in these societies is a practical measure to combat poverty, HIV and other life threatening sexually transmitted diseases.

What is unethical is a policy of birth control via absention (it doesn't work) and deny the use of contraceptives.

Celibacy is an ideal and while its required for ordained sangha, it wasn't a requirement for lay followers except for short periods.

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.

befriend wrote:as i slowly find more and more happiness in renunciation and loosely following the 8 precepts, i am beginning to think contraception may be unwholsome.

I don't follow your train of thought here...at all... and apart from the title, you mention this just here, without elaboration.

What....?

what has renunciation got to do with contraception?And why are you 'loosely following the 8 precepts'...?Why not follow five, tightly?What has one got to do with the other?

as i think sex for recreation is as buddha said a low act performed by common people. didnt he say that.

Actually, I don't know.... did he? Could you please find reference and give us a link?

modern medicine views sex as being healthy, and a great release of stress.

If it is as you say, then perhaps renunciation isn't such a sound idea, for a lay person....

this is because no one practices voluntary celibacy in our society.

I think you'll find it's a lot more than you think.

the health benefits of voluntary celibacy are vast. your intelligence your well being your energy, your health. yogis for thousands of years have thought celibacy to be a main staple of there spiritual and physical well being.

again, as you seem to be making sweeping statements, some kind of professional, official proof would be interesting....

so ive also noticed the less i look at girls cleavage or whatever the less lust arises. where does lust come from? focusing on beauty. ive stopped looking at womens bodies even when i watch tv i look away, its like i stopped feuling the fire.

even this is a form of attachment... your aversion is controlling you.shouldn't the case be that leooking or not looking, makes no difference either way....?

so i come back to my initial point. why do you think there are so many STD's?

this was not your initial point.where did this come from?!?

is this not the universe telling us something about recreational sex?

um.....no.... this is a very theistic statement to make... some kind of retribution for doing what comes naturally....?Are you serious?

wouldnt the world be a better place, if we all had sex only for procreation.

How very Catholic.... what makes you think having children is a divine right?

this would stop aids pretty much.

Again with the weird random connection.....So we should quit giving blood transfusions also, on that premise....Jeesh but this is a weird post...it's all over the place!

i dont know its incredibly good karma to refrain from sexual activity, the same cant be said for having sex.

What's the difference?Or are we talking 'masturbation' here?You'll go blind.....